Reale Teatro di San Carlo- Naples’ Opera House

The Reale Teatro di San Carlo is Naples’ most well-known opera house and is located right in the nucleus of the downtown area. It has had the fortune of being recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its status as the longest consistently operating venue of its kind in all of Europe. Over the years the Reale Teatro San Carlo has won many prestigious music awards.

The venue was inaugurated in 1737, on the name day of the Bourbon Charles VII of Naples, November 4th. From the start this opera house enjoyed widespread fame and recognition. Not only because of its grandeur, but also because it had the largest seating capacity, 3,300 people, of all opera houses in Europe. The inside is appropriately decorated with gold trim and blue upholstery, gold and blue being the official Bourbon colors.

During the days when Neapolitan artists were on top, and the opera house was in its heyday, guests could enjoy not only opera buffa, but also opera seria. Naples virtually became the capital of European music, and many foreign composers considered a performance at San Carlo as the high point of their careers. Some notable composers from the Neapolitan school of opera include: Feo, Piccinni, Durante and Anfossi.

If you would like information on seeing a ballet, opera, or musical performance you can go there directly for schedules, or you can check out their website: http://www.teatrosancarlo.it

Box office hours: Mon-Sat, 10:00-19:00. Sun 10:00-15:30

Phone: 081 79 72 331

Directions: Turn right out of hostel. Turn left on Via Depretis and head towards castle. Pass castle and continue up hill about 50 meters. Theatre is on left hand side on Via San Carlo.